Alburtis Aide Quits Emergency Post

March 28, 1985|by SCOTT BIEBER, The Morning Call

Phillip Hartranft has quit his post as Coordinator of Emergency Management in Alburtis. He told council that he was disgusted with the "red tape and feet dragging" that he encountered from the state and county emergency management agencies with whom he must work.

Hartranft said the borough's preliminary emergency plan is 90 percent complete. He said the position requires someone who can travel around the state to get information.

Every municipality in the state is required to have an emergency management agency to deal with public disasters and emergencies. The agency's forerunner was Civil Defense.

Anyone interested in the position should contact borough hall.

Borough zoning officer and building inspector Warren Lick has told council he will resign May 1. The borough is seeking applicants for this position. Lick will help the new official become familiar with the duties.

At its regular meeting, council:

- reviewed a proposed ordinance to penalize and force the clean-up of any hazardous waste spills in the borough from the railroad. Council became aware of its lack of enforcement or control over such accidents when several railroad cars derailed in the borough last year.

The proposed ordinance would hold either the railroad or the shipper liable for any damages or costs associated with a spill. Penalties of $25-500 would also be levied.

- Directed that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation be told to quickly fix a large pothole on Franklin street, a state street.

Councilman Dick Bortz said the borough can't depend on PennDOT and should fix the pothole itself in the interest of traffic safety. But council president Carlton Raines said that would be a bad precedent and said that the borough should demand that PennDOT quickly fix it.

- Councilman Wayne Hillman said the state Department of Community Affairs will assist him in examining the borough's insurance coverage to get rid of any duplication coverage.